head
gb/hˈɛd/ us/hˈɛd/
A1
English
~ 1600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Top part of the body
The top part of your body that has your brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s head
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'head' with 'face'; 'face' refers only to the front part of the head.
Synonyms
skull (Refers specifically to the bone structure of the head)
Antonyms
foot (Opposite end of the body in vertical orientation)
Collocations
shake your head
|nod your head
|hit your head
|turn your head
|bow your head
Themes
anatomy
|daily life
|body
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She nodded her head in agreement.
- He hit his head on the low doorway.
- The hat was too small for his head.
- She turned her head to look at me.
Learner examples
- This is my head.
- He has a big head.
- She moves her head.
- My head hurts.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Leader of a group
The person who is the boss or leader of a group or company.
Usage pattern:
head of [organization/group]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'head' with 'boss'; 'boss' is more informal and used mainly in workplace contexts.
Synonyms
chief (Often used in titles or informal speech)
Antonyms
subordinate (A person who is under someone else's authority)
Collocations
head teacher
|head chef
|head of state
|department head
Themes
business
|management
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She was appointed head of marketing last year.
- The head of the school welcomed the new students.
- He is the head chef at a famous restaurant.
Learner examples
- He is the head of the class.
- She is the head teacher.
- The head of the company is very busy.
Verb
A2
action
3
Move toward a place
To go towards a place.
Usage pattern:
to head [towards/for/to] [place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'go' when 'head' would be more natural for emphasizing direction.
Synonyms
go (More general; does not imply direction as clearly)
Antonyms
stay (To remain in place instead of moving)
Collocations
head home
|head north
|head for trouble
Themes
travel
|daily life
|transportation
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We should head home before it gets dark.
- They headed north after leaving the city.
- She headed straight to the airport.
Learner examples
- I will head to the park.
- We are heading home now.
- They will head to school.
Noun
A2
entity
4
Front/top part of something
The front or top part of something.
Usage pattern:
the head of [object/thing]
Synonyms
front (Refers specifically to forward-facing position)
Antonyms
end (The opposite extremity from the front or top)
Collocations
head of the table
|head of the bed
|head of the line
Themes
objects
|navigation
|core_vocabulary
|space
Examples
- He sat at the head of the table.
- The bed's head faces the window.
- We waited at the head of the line.
Learner examples
- She is at the head of the line.
- He sits at the head of the table.
- The bed has a soft head.
Noun
B1
entity
5
Top part of a plant/flower cluster
The top part of a plant where flowers or seeds grow.
Synonyms
bloom (Refers specifically to a single flower)
Collocations
head of lettuce
|flower head
Themes
plants
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Cut off the dead flower heads to encourage growth.
- We bought a fresh head of lettuce.
- The sunflower's head was heavy with seeds.
Learner examples
- This is a head of lettuce.
- The flower has a big head.
- Cut off the old heads.
Grammar
Dictionary form
head
IPA
GB/hˈɛd/
US/hˈɛd/
Syllables & stress
head (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (head)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: head
- Plural: heads
Verb
- Base: head
- 3rd Person Singular: heads
- Present Participle: heading
- Past: headed
Word family
Expressions
bring to a head
1/bɹˈɪŋ tə ə hˈɛd/
idiom
Make situation reach crisis point
To make a problem reach a point where it must be solved right away.
Examples
- The strike brought tensions to a head.
- Their constant arguing finally brought things to a head.
head off
1/hˈɛd ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
Prevent something from happening
To stop something from happening by acting early.
Examples
- The police headed off trouble by making arrests early.
- We tried to head off any misunderstandings by explaining clearly.
keep your head down
1/kˈip jˈʊɹ hˈɛd dˈaʊn/
idiom
informal
Avoid attention or trouble by staying unnoticed
To stay quiet and not be noticed so you don't get into trouble.
Examples
- He's keeping his head down until the argument blows over.
- You'd better keep your head down at work after that mistake.
lose your head
1/lˈuz jˈʊɹ hˈɛd/
idiom
informal
Panic and stop thinking clearly
To not think clearly because you are very angry, scared, or excited.
Examples
- Stay calm and don't lose your head in an emergency.
- He lost his head when he heard the bad news.
off the top of your head
1/ˈɔf ðə tˈɑp əv jˈʊɹ hˈɛd/
idiom
informal
Without careful thought or checking facts
Saying something quickly without thinking much or checking if it is correct.
Examples
- Off the top of my head, I'd say there are about 50 people in our department.
- I can't remember her number off the top of my head.